MN Boys’ Hockey Hub

White Hawks End Loss Streak

The five game winless streak came to an end the week of January 16 for the Mound Westonka boys hockey team after a bizarre game Tuesday, Jan. 17 and a convincing senior night victory Friday, Jan. 20.

The game Tuesday against Hutchinson had an odd twist in the opening period and a game changing call by a referee late in the third. The 1st period was scoreless with 7.51 left when the White Hawks took a minor penalty for hooking sending a defenseman to the box. The Tigers went on the power play and a short time later the horn sounded ending the period. Both teams went to the locker room and the Zamboni started resurfacing the ice. It was noticed that the time for the penalty indicated 7 seconds remained. The time clock malfunctioned and read zero. In reality there was 5.58 remaining in the period. When the teams came back out, the game clock was reset to 5.58 and the opening period was finished with neither team scoring.

After a 3 minute break, the 2nd period got underway. It didn’t take long for MW to take the lead. Charlie Curti scored on a wrap-around of a loose puck at 2.37 assisted by Bingham and Spanjers. At 8.54 Tanner Palm scored on a tip off a shot from the right point assisted by Hanson and O’Borsky. The White Hawks extended the lead .25 sec. later with Ben O’Borsky scoring after a scramble in front of the Hutchinson net assisted by Tschida and Palm. Alex Bakke fired a shot in from the top of the left circle at 9.39 assisted by Bingham and Spanjers and the boys tallied 3 goals in 45 seconds. Jack Brandstetter added another goal at 11.23 assisted by Palm and Blake Brandstetter for a commanding 5-0 lead. Hutch did find the back of the net on a power play at 13.38 and the period ended with the White Hawks up 5-1.

The Tigers drew closer at 8.39 of the 3rd, 8 seconds into a power play and scored again at 11.23. With 4.47 remaining in the game a Tiger forward carried the puck into the MW zone and was going around a White Hawk defender. The defenseman reached out and pulled the forward down to the ice at the right faceoff circle sending the skater into the end boards. The referee called a 5 min. major for checking from behind. With a major penalty the team shorthanded stays a man down no matter how many goals the other team scores. Hutchinson scored at 16.11 with 49 sec. left to draw within one. The Tiger coach pulled the goalie for a 6 on 4 skating advantage and the Tigers tied the game at 5 at 16.37 with 23 seconds left in the 3rd forcing an 8 minute OT period. The White Hawks came back hard in overtime peppering the Tiger goaltender for the first 2 minutes until a Hutchinson defenseman cleared the puck up the left boards creating a 2 on 1 odd man rush. Hutch scored the game winning goal 2.06 into the extra period sending MW to a heartbreaking fifth defeat in a row.

Friday, January 20 the boys snapped the winless streak at home against the Waconia Wildcats. It was senior night and youth jersey night with the school choir singing the national anthem and the band playing in the packed stands. David Bingham got the White Hawks off to a good start at 9.16 tipping in a pass from the corner in tight on a feed from fellow senior Mitch Spanjers. Waconia did take a 5 min. major for head contact at 10.20 but MW could not convert on the power play leading 1-0 at the end of one.

Hunter Smith scored on the power play at 8.45 on a pretty goal when he gained the Wildcat zone skating a full circle around the offensive zone snapping one in from the right slot area. Junior Kyle Luehmann netted his first varsity goal 15 seconds later, assisted by Brady. The White Hawks scored again on the power play at 14.16 with Ben O’Borsky snapping in a shot from the left face-off circle assisted by Tschida and Bakke for a 4-0 lead at the end of the 2nd period.

The Wildcats broke Andy Seats shutout 13 sec. into the 3rd but would not score again. At 3.50 Luehmann added his second goal on the night assist Schulenberg. Tanner Palm tipped in a blue line shot at 4.49 with assists from Hanson and O’Borsky. Jack Brandstetter finished the scoring on a rebound of a Hunter Smith breakaway shot at 6.22 with Riley Williams also assisting on the goal. The boys outshot Waconia 48-15 on the night blowing out the Wildcats 7-1. The White Hawks record on the season is 11-8 with the next game at Holy Family Tues Jan.31. The JV team has been impressive this season with 14 wins and just 5 defeats.